Opposites Attract
by fireflyy
Summary: they say opposites attract . . . but are Ginny and Draco that opposite?
1. a thank you

Chapter One - A Thank You

Ginny Weasley gave one last hug to hermum and dadbefore she left to go search for Colin, her best friend, and for a compartment in the Hogwarts Express. She had changed a lot over the summer. Now, in her 6th year, she had a nice figure, a lot of confidence, and of course the Weasley temper, though she could usually control it.

"Ginny!" someone called.

"Hey Colin! What's up?" Ginny asked as they hugged.

"Wow! Not much," he replied staring at her. "Hey! Is that makeup?"

Ginny just smiled shyly. "Maybe."

Colin shook his head. "Ok, well let's go get a compartment before they're all taken."

* * *

"Joy," Draco Malfoy thought. "Another year at Hogwarts. I don't know if I'll be able to make it."

"Dracie, darling!"

"Yes," he replied, sounding very strained. Pansy siddled up to him, permanently locking her arm in his.

"How was your summer? I sure missed you!" she said in her annoying high- pitched sugary voice.

"Just fine," he said wishing he were anywhere else. Heck, even the youngest Weasley would be better.

"If you will excuse me," he said, unlinking his arm with hers and walking off towards the Hogwarts Express.

* * *

"Seriously?"

"Yes. I knew Hermione and my brother liked each other. I never knew they were that shy though, it took me and-" Ginny was interrupted by someone slamming the compartment door open and then shut.

"What the-" Ginny said, "Malfoy?" she yelled.

"I do have a first name Weasley," he said smirking. His hair wasn't slicked back as usual, but left to fall as it pleased. At the moment it was all in his face, and his cheeks were a little red. Apparently he had been running.

Ginny ignored that last comment, along with his good looks. "Uh, just what do you think you're doing?" she asked. Colin just sat there, looking back and forth between Ginny and Malfoy. Suddenly the compartment door was once again opened. Malfoy quickly dashed for the corner behind the compartment door.

"Hello? Have you seen my Dracie? . . . Oh, a Weasley, what do you know."

Ginny just stared at Pansy for a second, but then she smirked. "Actually I know a lot, and I do happen to know where your . . . 'Dracie' is," she said, turning to look at Malfoy, who was silently pleading for her not to say anything.

"Oh, really, then where is he?" Pansy asked, not really expecting much, but straightening up to look inside.

"Oh, down that way," Ginny pointed down the hallway, smiling brightly. Pansy just rolled her eyes, but walked on in that direction. Ginny closed the compartment door and burst out laughing. Colin laughed as well, falling out of his seat.

"Oh, where is my Dracie," Ginny called in a high pitched voice, imitating Pansy frightfully well.

"Shut up," Malfoy spat, scowling.

Ginny and Colin just continued to laugh their heads off. Then, Ginny stopped, and still smiling said, "Well, I think I still deserve a thank you."

"Malfoy's don't thank people."

"Oh, really?" Ginny said. Smiling, she went to open the compartment. "Pansy!" she called.

"Noooo!" Malfoy yelled, making a move to try and stop Ginny from revealing his location. Ginny cocked her eyebrows at him.

Malfoy scowled, glaring at her smiling face. "Thanks," he mumbled.

"You're welcome," she said laughing.

* * *

After the welcoming feast, Ginny and Colin headed up to the common room with the rest of the Gryffindors.

"Hey Ginny!" someone called.

"Hey Harry," Ginny said. "Remind me never to sit with Hermione and Ron again! Geez . . . " he said with a rather disgusted face.

Ginny smiled. "Guess they're catching up."

Harry just shook his head. "Yeah, well, hope you had a better trip."

Ginny and Colin both started to crack up, and Harry stared at them both, puzzled. "Uh . . . "

"Well, you see, Malfoy tried to hide from Pansy . . . in our compartment . . . "

* * *

By the time they reached the common room, Hermione and Ron had joined them, and they were all laughing hysterically.

"I can't believe that git is afraid of Parkinson!" Ron said in between laughing.

"I think he was just more annoyed by her," Ginny said smiling. "But oh, you should have seen his face! 'Noooo!' And when he thought I was gonna tell her where he was!"

"Yeah, and then when you made him say thank you," Harry said, looking at Ginny, his eyes sparkling.

Finally it was only Colin and Ginny in the common room.

"Hey Ginny?" Colin asked.

"Yeah."

"I think the boy who lived likes someone," he stated bluntly. Colin was known for not fooling around. He got right to the point.

Ginny looked up. "What do you mean?"

"I think Harry has finally noticed you, now that you don't wear all your brother's old clothes and you wear some make up," he said, staring out into space.

"Well, it's too late for him. I wasted so much time on him," she said sadly. "Besides, if it's just looks than . . . Oh Colin!" Ginny cried.

Colin came over and hugged her. He remembered all those times that Ginny had cried over Harry. He hated Harry for it, for just ignoring her. And now, if it was just about looks, than he for sure wouldn't let Harry get to her again, no matter what.


	2. a new seeker?

Chapter 2 - A New Seeker?

Ginny hadn't slept much because of what Colin said. She was torn to pieces, but she wouldn't give in. Ginny actually smiled, thinking of what else Colin said.

"I think you should ignore him, like what he did to you. Just because he's The Boy Who Lived doesn't mean he gets whatever he wants, when he wants."

She new it would be mean, but it was her only way to revenge. Yes, Ginny may seem innocent, but just ask her brothers. She got you back good. And now that she had cried for the last time over Harry, she was just angry with her self and really angry with Harry.

"Have a good night?" asked Colin, smiling.

Ginny smiled back. "Yes, much better after we talked. Thank you so much Colin," she said hugging him.

"No problem. Just looking out for my best friend."

As they walked out of the common room and on to the Great Hall, the dream team joined them. Once they sat down, the topic of Quidditch came up. Ginny planned on trying out. Nobody really knew exactly how much she loved to fly, except maybe Colin. And she learned a lot from her brothers and Harry over the past summer.

"So Harry, when do you think we should hold Quidditch tryouts," Ron asked. He was the captain of the Gryffindor team, even though he always discussed everything with Harry.

"Well, I dunno about you, but I was thinking we could start a little earlier, maybe . . . sometime next Friday?"

"Works for me," Ron said. "Hey, Ginny? Are you gonna try out this year?"

Ginny smiled brightly. "Um, yeah. I wanted to try out for chaser. What do you think?"

"Well," Harry smiled, "you only learned from the best."

"I think you'd be great as seeker," said Colin nonchalantly, his face blank. Everyone looked at Colin, astonished.

"But we already have Harry," Ron said, confused.

"Yes, but what if Ginny is better," said Colin. "Like Harry said, she learned from the best."

Meanwhile, Ginny just sat there, contemplating the idea. She really could try out for seeker. She had learned how to spot the smallest things from way up high in the air. She remembered during the summer, one of those games she'd been playing as seeker against Harry. She had gotten the snitch before Harry. Everyone thought he'd done it on purpose to let her win, but she remembered his surprised face. She didn't think it was on purpose.

At the same time, Harry was thinking about that same game. He hadn't lost on purpose, Ginny had beat him. But, he didn't tell anybody of course. He was pretty sure Ginny still liked him, why wouldn't she? Surely she wouldn't try to take his spot? Besides, Ron was captain . . .

"Why don't we let Ginny choose what she wants to try out for?" Harry asked, turning to look at Ginny, his eyes sparkling, trying to make sure she would say no.

Ginny looked at Harry. She saw right through him. 'He must still think I like him,' she thought. She was mad all of a sudden. How could he just think that, because she supposedly liked him, she wouldn't take his spot as seeker? At the moment, she was most disgusted with The Boy Who Lived. She smirked. "I think that I'll try out for seeker," she said.

Harry just stared at her, open mouthed. Colin beamed at her. Ron frowned. He obviously did not understand the situation. Hermione frowned as well.

"But we already have a seeker," Ron stated stupidly, pointing at Harry. "You can't!"

"Why not? As long as people look at me fairly, I have a chance," she said, narrowing her eyes at Ron.

Colin nodded his head. "Yes, as long as people don't just put her off, she could get the spot," he said darkly, glaring daggers at Harry.

Harry was just confused. What had happened to the nice, innocent Ginny he knew? But his thoughts were interrupted as Professor McGonagall came over to pass out their schedules. But he wasn't really paying attention. He was still starring at Ginny, puzzled. He had this feeling . . .

* * *

"I can't believe we have potions with Slytherins again!" cried Ginny, walking toward the dungeons with Colin.

"Yeah, especially since we're joined with the 7th years. Even worse Slytherins to deal with."

Ginny groaned. "I forgot about that. That means the dream team will be there, along with all those Slytherin gits . . . Arrghh! Why did we have to be so good at potions that Snape _actually_ moved us up?"

Colin grinned, "I dunno, but if we don't hurry, Snape will take house points for being late."

As they walked in, they saw that once again, Draco Malfoy was insulting the dream team. And it looked like he was doing a good job judging from the looks on Ron's, Harry's and even Hermione's faces.

"Ah, the youngest Weasley! It seems you have a little rebellious streak in you, trying out for seeker, eh?" he drawled, turning to look at Ginny. He was determined to get her back for what she did on the train, and this was proving a perfect opportunity. "I'm not sure beating him at his position will make him liked you," he said, knowing he hit home. But then, he expected her to go away crying. Big mistake.

"Excuse me?" she said calmly, though her eyes were alight with anger.

"What I'm trying to say here," he said, talking like he was talking to a five-year-old, "is that humiliating Potter will not make him notice you. And by the way, is that the reason you're here?" he asked, smirking.

The whole class was now deadly quite, everyone waiting for Ginny's response.

"For you information, Colin and I are here because Snape moved us up a year. You know, because we are so good at potions," she said, like he wouldn't understand unless she spelled it out.

For a moment Draco lost his composure. Snape moving up two stupid Gryffs? No way! "Sure, Weasley, now go on, go say sorry to Potter there," he said with disgust.

"I am not here to say sorry to anybody!" she yelled, stamping her foot.

"Whoa! Calm down, we all know it's embarrassing-"

But he didn't get to finish because Ginny had lost it. Yes, she prided herself in being able to at least hold back the Weasley temper in words. But Malfoy had gone way too far. Growing up with a house full of older brothers had definitely paid off. She'd punched Malfoy square in the jaw.

"Miss Weasley!" Snape said from behind her.

"I believe that was uncalled for," he smirked. "Twenty points from Gryffindor and a detention."

"But Professor!" Ginny whined, "he provoked me . . . " She was cut off by Snape's stare/glare.

He looked back at Malfoy who was getting up, holding his jaw, glaring at Ginny, who was staring up at the Professor. "Mr. Malfoy, you also have a detention. Both of you meet me after dinner at 7. Don't be late." And with that he walked up to the front of the room. "Go on now!" he barked. "Sit down and turn to page 159."

Nobody could believe what just happened. Snape had just given a Slytherin a detention, and not just any Slytherin. He had given Draco Malfoy a detention because of what Ginerva Weasley, a Gryffindor had said!


	3. detention and games

Chapter 3 - Detention and Games

Ginny was still in shock. She was mad as hell at Malfoy, but then he was just Malfoy. But Snape had actually took her word for it! She knew Snape didn't hate her, he actually helped her and Colin a couple times, but it was only between them. Never had he done something publicly. And now that she thought about it, she would have rathered having a detention by herself. Now Malfoy was gonna be there with her.

"Ginny?" someone asked quietly.

Ginny turned toward the voice. "Hey Harry," she said with no emotion. She had remembered what happened at breakfast, that he obviously still thought she liked him. She hated it.

"Are you really gonna try out for seeker?"

Ginny looked at him. "Um, yeah, that's what I said this morning isn't it? Why would I change my mind?" she said narrowing her eyes slightly.

Harry shrugged. He was really confused. What happened to Ginny? He knew she had changed from when he visited the Weasley's over the summer. He had liked the change too, but if she liked him, then what was she doing?

Ginny couldn't take it anymore. She was so angry with Harry! And she could have killed herself. How blind could she have been? Now she saw right through him. "Harry," she said coldly, "you do realize I don't like you anymore right?"

Harry turned his head to look at her, his eyes wide. "W-what?" he stammered.

Ginny rolled her eyes and sighed heavily as she looked at her watch. It was seven o' clock! "Oh shit" she muttered, while Harry gasped.

* * *

Malfoy was beside himself with rage. Snape had never, ever given him a detention. And now, based on what a stupid, poor Weasley said, he did. He couldn't figure it out.

He started walking towards the dungeons. He had been in the library fuming since dinner. It was now five till seven, so he decided it best to be there on time. Usually he wouldn't care, but he wasn't sure what was wrong with Snape.

He arrived a minute early. But no one was there. So he sat down in a desk in the back of the classroom. 'Boy is Weaslette gonna pay,' he thought to himself.

Five minutes later, he was still alone. He was getting very, very angry. Snape had said seven o' clock hadn't he? But he wasn't here, nor was the Weasel.

Suddenly someone came running in.

"Sorry I'm . . . Oh, damnit!"

Draco turned around to look at the out of breath girl, who he despised more than anything at the moment. He raised his eyebrows. "A little late are we?" he asked with his trademark smirk, even though inside he was about ready to strangle someone, anyone, and most likely that someone would wind up being her.

She just glared at him, and took a seat up front. Duh! She knew Snape always came like fifteen minutes late! She'd been down here to meet him before for extra lessons so to speak. He was always late. And here she was, running her ass off, to get there five minutes late.

"So, little Miss Weasley isn't all that innocent anymore?"

Ginny turned back around, a smirk on her face to match Malfoy's. "So, Malfoy, tell me, is this your first detention? Poor little baby! You get your first detention by your own house teacher, and all because of what a little poor Gryffindor said." Satisfied, she turned back around calmly.

Draco was fuming. Weasley sure had changed, and it was getting on his nerves. What right did she have to talk back to him like this? No one else did, well, expect the dream team. But they rarely got the better of him. And besides, she had to be the only girl in all of Hogwarts who wasn't all over him. He just wanted to strangle her! But he kept his cool; he was a Malfoy after all.

Suddenly Snape walked in. He looked at his two students, who, surprisingly enough, were probably his favorite two students in all of Hogwarts. Yes, a Gryffindor was one of his favorite students. But she wasn't exactly like the others. She could have done very well in Slytherin.

"I want you two to clean all the desks and the floor. With no magic of course."

Ginny just nodded while Malfoy looked on in horror. Clean? That was for the house elves!

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape asked, "is there a problem?" Snape thought it would be a good thing for Draco to do some work of some sort. He knew Ginerva could, but Draco was just a little too stuck up. He needed to be brought down a notch or two, and Snape knew Ginny would do just that. He smiled to himself.

Draco regained his composure and shook his head while Ginny stifled a giggle. Draco glared at her back.

Snape waved his wand and some cleaning supplies appeared. "Here are your supplies. Now, your wands?"

Ginny stood up and handed Snape her wand. Draco stood up stifly, walked up to the front, and unwillingly, handed his wand over as well.

"I will be back in two hours. I expect this room to be spotless when I return," Snape said with a snear, leaving the two students on their own.

* * *

Harry was still dumbstruck after Ginny had left. She didn't like him? Of course she did! She had to, because he was beginning to fall for her, now that she didn't spill or drop something whenever he walked into a room or looked at her. He was attracted to her sudden spunkiness as well.

Though she didn't know it, she was probably the prettiest girl in Hogwarts now, and the only reason she didn't have a line of guys waiting on her was because they were all afraid of Ron. Plus she intimidated them so badly, without even trying, or knowing for that matter. And it wasn't just her looks. She was fun to be around, witty, and even athletic. Very athletic actually.

Harry ran his hands through his hair. He had just had to get her to remember how much she liked him. She was only doing this because she was in her rebellious stage and because she wanted to get revenge, or so he thought. She wouldn't actually try out for seeker, she was just playing with him. He smiled to himself, wistfully. 'Yeah, that's it, she's just playing games with me.'

* * *

Ginny and Draco had been working for a little less than an hour or so, each not saying a word except when necessary. It was probably best that way too. They would have been at each other's throats for sure.

Ginny had taken to the desks first, leaving Malfoy with the floor. They had started on opposite ends of the room, but by now, they were each half done, therefore meeting in the middle.

Draco heard a tapping. He looked up to see the slightly annoyed face of Ginny. "What Weasley?" he spat.

Ginny looked down at him in disgust. "You're in my way," she said solemnly.

"Too bad."

Ginny sighed. "Malfoy move!"

Draco ignored her. He kept on working until someone dumped freezing cold soapy water on him. "Ahhh!" he yelled, jumping up and away.

"Thank you," Ginny said smirking.

"What the! Weasley, I'm gonna . . ."

Ginny waved her finger in his wet face. He actually kinda looked cute, being all mad with his wet hair getting in his face. Wait! Did she just think of him as cute? "You didn't listen to me," she stated shaking her head innocently, but still smirking.

Draco was shocked. 'How the hell could she smirk and look innocent at the same time? How did this girl get to be so fiery?' He actually kinda liked it. 'Wait! I hate her!' But while Draco stood there, Ginny had gone back to work, cleaning the desks. Draco smirked. She'd be sorry.

"Ahhhhh! Urghh, Malfoy!" Ginny jumped up, soaking wet. Draco was laughing as he held his stomach with one hand and the empty bucket with the other. She narrowed her eyes at him, and suddenly, Draco was knocked to the ground by fiery red hair . . . and being tickled to death. Draco never knew he was so ticklish . . .

"Ahh! Stop. It! NOW!" he breathed in between his unwanted laughing, as he tried to catch her arms and protect his sides from her pokes. She didn't seem to be giving up, so he gave up on defending himself and moved to offense. He attacked her sides.

"Ahh!" she giggled as she immediately let down on ticking him, rolled off of him to the side, and tried to grab his hands to make him stop.

But Draco laughed even harder now as he saw how ticklish the red head was. She finally caught his hands, and she looked over at him, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed. She saw that Draco's usual smirk or scowl was gone, that his face wasn't masked. He was actually laughing, truly laughing.

"Bet you never knew you were ticklish," she said smiling, and still holding his hands.

Draco Malfoy, always one to hold his composure through anything, to never let his emotions show, was caught off guard and with no comeback to cover it up.

Ginny grinned and laughed as she let go of his hands, leaving a warm tingly feeling in her own. "You know, you actually don't look half bad when you're smiling and don't have an evil smirk on your face," she said as she stood up and looked around the only half clean classroom. "We have an hour to finish," she said. "But we don't have any water anymore . . ." she said, also noticing how cold she now was, soaked in freezing cold water in the dungeons. She looked down at him on the floor and started to giggle at his perplexed face.

Bu then Draco snapped back to reality. He sat up on the floor and then stood up to his full height of 6 feet, a full nine inches taller than Ginny. He frowned slightly, causing more giggles from Ginny. Then he scowled and all his emotions were in check again. "Then go get some more," he drawled.

Ginny frowned, looking almost hurt. She couldn't quite put her finger on how she felt just then, but almost immediately she pushed it to the side and ignored it, not wanting to show Malfoy that he had gotten to her. 'Wait? The git had gotten to me? No!'

"And where would I do that?" she said, rolling her eyes, and hiding her confusion.

But Draco noticed the slight tension in her voice. He ignored it, along with everything that had just happened. "The little girl's room," he sneered, as if she were sooo dense.

She glared at him. "Ugh," she moaned as she picked up one bucket and started for the door.

"Uh, hello, there's two!"

She turned around and stared at him like he was as daft as troll. "Whatever happened to the little boy's room?" And with that she stomped off.


	4. tryouts and smirking gryffindors

Chapter 4 - Tryouts and Smirking Gryffindors

"GINNY!"

Ginny rolled over in her bed, moaning incoherent phrases.

Hermione sighed. She noticed Ginny hadn't been in the Great Hall for breakfast so she had come to find out why, and found that Ginny was in fact still sleeping. She rolled her eyes and took her wand out, muttering.

Suddenly Ginny was up, wide-awake and drenched in freezing cold water. "AHHH!" She saw Hermione and narrowed her eyes.

Hermione shrugged. "You wouldn't get up and," she looked at her watch, "you have exactly 15 minutes to get ready."

Ginny's eyes widened. She temporarily forgot about her anger toward Hermione and scrambled out of bed.

"Well, you don't exactly have to take a shower now!" Hermione yelled after her.

Ginny looked over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at her brother's girlfriend, causing the bushy-haired girl to laugh out loud. She then turned around and decided to take Hermione's advice. She tore off her pajamas and performed a drying spell on herself and her hair. She grabbed a pair of jeans and as she was putting them on she realized it was gonna be a tight fit. They were old and faded but she didn't have time to search for a different pair. She grabbed a shirt and pulled her robes on over the muggle clothes. She pulled her now curly hair back in a messy bun and put her tennis shoes on while looking for her school bag. "There! Ha!" she yelled, grabbing it and rushing out. She made it to transfigurations with two minutes to spare. 'Score one for Ginny!' she smiled to herself as she slipped into the seat next to Colin.

* * *

"Dracie!" a shrill voice called out.

Draco Malfoy rolled over in his bed, knowing who it was and dreading her even when he was half asleep.

"Dracie, get up sweetie! You only have 15 minutes before charms!"

That got him out of bed, fast. He rushed to his private bathroom, ignoring Pansy's chatter, and closed the door. He was just putting his robes on when it occurred to him. 'How the hell did she get in here!' He would have rolled his eyes along with a huge sigh, but a Malfoy wouldn't be caught dead showing annoyance like that. After he looked in the mirror quickly making sure he looked as if he hadn't gotten up 5 minutes ago, and he didn't amazingly enough. He pushed past Pansy and grabbed his books and headed on out with "Dracie, wait for me!" following him.

* * *

A couple days went by after 'The Detention' as Ginny had come to think of it. Neither Ginny nor Draco had any free time to think of what had happened. Both were caught up in all the homework that was being poured upon them along with Quidditch practices and tryouts, and only had enough time to give each other dirty looks in the hallway. Each was still confused about the other, leaning on old family feuds even more than ever to keep themselves in line.

At the moment, Ginny was flying across the Quidditch field at the last tryout session. She had beaten Harry to the snitch half the number of times they had gone against each other and was rather proud of herself. She ignored his confused and then encouraging and then sad looking looks. But then her thoughts were interrupted as she spotted small golden ball to the left of Harry's ear, who was hovering on the other side of the field. She squinted and hoped it wouldn't stay there too long, she didn't exactly want to go full speed straight at Harry. But then the snitch flew off to the left and around the field in a wide curve. Ginny grinned and moved slowly toward her left so as to be in the snitch's curved path. She didn't dare look at it though, she looked slightly to the side and squinted, trying to make certain that she looked like she was still looking for it. Harry's Firebolt was much faster than her Nimbus 2000 and she didn't dare take off until she had too. Just as the snitch was about to pass her, barely 4 feet in front of her, she sprang into action and darted forward, her hand outstretched. In one fluent motion she captured the small golden ball in her hand and cried out in joy.

* * *

Ginny was livid. She beat Harry! She had won the last game, catching the snitch one more time than him, but Harry was still seeker.

"Well, at least Ron wasn't as dense as he could have been. You're a chaser, and you're bloody brilliant at that! Ron is, er, trying to make the best team he can and, uh, Harry wouldn't be as good of a chaser as you so really and truly, you're better," Colin said, despertely trying to calm her down.

Ginny narrowed her eyes as Ron approached the notice board with Harry. They were both laughing and smiling until they noticed Ginny right in front of the board, her arms crossed and her foot tapping on the stone floor.

Ron turned pale, the smile off his face, and Harry gave Ginny a rather bright smile. Ginny ignored Harry all together, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at him, and focused her Weasley temper on her brother.

"Uh, Hi Ginny! Uh, oh! I forgot something in the Great Hall, better get it before someone nicks it up," Ron said warily, turning to go.

"Ronald Weasley!" Ginny shouted, her face flushed.

Ron turned around, his face paler than ever. "Uh, it was a rather important something that I left," and with that he took off at a sprint and being the smart one that he is, he went the opposite way of the Great Hall.

* * *

It had been a couple weeks after the Quidditch tryouts and Ginny was using the silent treatment on Ron, which was driving him crazy. But it was a Saturday morning and she had gone down to the Great Hall for breakfast after taking a soothing shower and taking the time to put a little makeup on. So far it looked like it was going to be a good day. She was caught up on her homework so she wouldn't have to spend her whole day in the library as in the past. She was just thinking how she could spend the day outside on the Hogwarts grounds when she ran into something.

"Ack! What the- Oh, little Weaslette," a voice called out.

Okay, so she ran into someone. Malfoy to be exact. Suddenly her day didn't seem so perfect. "Shove it Malfoy."

Draco smirked. "Little Weasel having a bad day? It's only," he looked at his watch, "nine in the morning."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him and muttered, "You're not worth it." But she muttered it just loud enough for him to hear.

"Ha! If you were a smart girl you would be basking in my attention! You are the one not being worthy of my time."

Ginny smirked. "Witty, Ferret. I do believe you are losing your touch. Er, wait. You never had it to begin with.."

"Hey! Only Slytherins smirk!"

Ginny laughed. "Well then, too bad I'm in Gryffindor." Satisfied she walked off toward the Gryffindor table, leaving Malfoy by himself.

Draco was fuming. What right did she have to treat him that way? But his murderous thoughts were interrupted. Halloween was soon approaching and Dumbledore, being Dumbledore, had just announced that there would be a dance following the big Halloween feast.

"Everyone must make a costume and become, so to speak, someone from the muggle world. Everyone will participate," he said glancing at the Slytherins knowingly as practically the whole table moaned simultaneously. "Since not everyone is familiar with all the many fascinating muggle legends and fairy tales," he said with his eyes glinting, "There will be a new section added to our wonderful library filled with books that can help you to get ideas."

At this Ginny sighed. One more thing to do? On top of everything else! But Dumbledore just smiled wider. Ginny narrowed her eyes.

"You will be given the Friday off from classes and an extra Hogsmeade trip that Saturday right before Halloween, as Halloween is on a Sunday. Classes on Monday won't start until 1 as to give you time to catch up on your sleep," he said, as if answering Ginny's questions right after she thought of them. She smiled then as Dumbledore continued.

"Also, there will be no need to ask that 'special someone' to this dance as, right before you walk in a real 'invisible mask' will be put upon you so as to make sure no one will know exactly who you are. At midnight everyone's 'invisible mask' will be taken away and everyone will be able to see who everyone is." Dumbledore smiled in that crazy mysterious way of his as everyone started chattering about the news.

* * *

A/N: Wow, it's been a while, sry! Thank you sooo much for the reviews! I love you guys! Ok, this is bugging me, I don't really have much of a plot. I'm trying to work on that, but we'll see. I'ma see where this dance goes, but in the mean time, any ideas? And I need to interplay the title somehow too. Right now it's kinda pointless. Hah. Well, R&R! 


	5. fly traps and a couple 'o favors

Chapter 5 - Fly Traps and a Couple 'o Favors

"Ginnyyy, please give me a break!"

Ginny ignored the desperate request and busied herself with buttering her toast and thoughts about the newly announced fairy-tale dance. 'Hmm, who to be, what to wear. .'

But an exasperated "Ginny, please," interrupted her thoughts. She heaved an equally exasperated sigh and turned to face her excuse for a brother. His troubled face lightened slightly at the sight of her acknowledgement of him. She looked at him long and hard. "Gin? Ginny?"

"Ron," she stated flatly, turning back to her breakfast.

"Ginny I'm sorry but I mean, Harry. . he's. . . you can't. . . you're our best chaser Ginny!" he said stumbling over his words. He was unsure of how to make amends when he still didn't get why Ginny had actually gone through with trying out for seeker in the first place. Although he wasn't kidding when he'd blurted about her being their best chaser. Though quite often he proved to be quite daft, he did recognize his sister's flying abilities. Along with his best friend's new found interest in said sister.

Ginny decided to finally let it go, she could see how Ron really was completely torn and was afraid if she kept up her silent treatment much longer he'd explode or something. She didn't really want to witness that, it'd be quite a mess she was sure. "Of course I'm your best chaser," she said matter-of-factly, a small smile on her lips as she looked back at her brother. Besides, she hadn't really expected Ron to pick her over his best friend anyway. . She held back a sigh at that thought.

Ron sighed a huge sigh of relief however, and grinned at his little sister. He hated her silent treatments, they were the worst. Harry ginned as well. "I think Gryffindor will do really well this year!"

Hermione laughed as she looked up from her current book. "As opposed to last year?" she questioned teasingly.

The two boys blushed modestly. Gryffindor had won almost every single game last year thanks to Ron's (and Harry's) devout obsession with the game. They had however lost that one game to Slytherin, in which Harry had actually caught the snitch, though just barely, but the Slytherin chasers had scored enough points to still come out on top though with just 10 points to spare. Needless to say, that game did wonders for the popularity of Ron's favorite song. ("Weasely is our King")

"Aw, he just meant we'll be even better!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Cause Lord knows you can't get any worse," came a drawl, which had it not come from the Slytherin Prince himself, would have surely been accompanied with an eye roll.

"Any worse than Slytherin? Why Ferret, I actually agree with you!" Ginny exclaimed, except instead of a smile this time she wore a smirk.

Draco was unnerved by her smirk. Gryffindors really weren't supposed to be able to smirk like that! Not that he was admiring her smirking skills or anything. "Quite the contrary," he bit out, a deep scowl marring his face as he turned swiftly on his heels and relieved the foursome of his presence.

* * *

"Harry!" Ginny yelled, thoroughly frustrated. "We've been at it for 3 hours! Do you want to kill us?"

Harry looked sheepishly in Ron's direction, who only shrugged his shoulders. It kinda made Ginny angry. Okay, actually it infuriated her. Ron was the official captain, but no one would ever guess by the way Harry controlled everything. "Wait, why am I asking you?" she suddenly thought aloud, ignoring Harry's stunned and hurt look. But it was the utterly-annoying-kind-of-hurt look. 'Course, maybe it was just her.

"Ron, we've practiced enough." She continued on to murmurs of consent from the rest of the team. "I'm pretty positive we could pull this off in our sleep now."

Ron gaped at her with his mouth wide open for a moment. "Oh Ron come off it you're gonna catch a fly if you don't-"

"Okay, fine," Ron gushed, his face bright red. "Practice is over. Now, tomorrow I think we should-" he stopped as he noticed some of the not-so-pretty looks he was receiving.

Harry glanced at Ginny, and suddenly before he even knew what he was doing, "You should all take a break and catch up on. . whatever you need to catch up on."

Ron's mouth once again became a fly trap. "But Harry, you said-"

"That they're getting a break tomorrow."

Ginny raised her eyebrows at her fly-trap-of-a brother and his fly-of-a friend while the others cheered. If she had to pick, definitely the fly trap; fly's were awfully annoying insects. Course, it seemed this fly trap wasn't very good at trapping flies. Hmm.

* * *

"Parkinson!" he growled.

She jumped, and at least she wasn't completely dense for she jumped out of his lap. "Oh Dracie, don't worry, everybody knows we've-"

Okay so maybe it was just luck. Draco was so fed up with the girl to his right he felt he could just scream! Oh, right, but his last name. . 'Damn.'

"Hey, Parkinson!"

Draco snapped his head in the direction of his possible savior only to see Ginny fast approaching him from behind. Okay, them. He supposed she did at least deserve to be counted as a human being, cause Lord knows no animal could ever figure out all that make-up. . or stand wearing it for that matter.

But then Ginny's previously expressionless face cracked and she began laughing, quite hard actually. Or maybe it was just the fact that as her laughter rang through the courtyard, Pansy and he - 'Oh hell no, screw grammar!' - him and Pansy just stared at her.

After the Weaslette finally calmed herself down enough, she began to speak between her smile. "Parkinson, I think your foundation is thinning."

Her eyes grew wide and next thing Draco new his right arm was beginning to get circulation again! But after this amazing miracle his attention was brought back to the chuckling red head now standing in front of him. He raised his eyebrow while fixing his icy gaze on her and she smiled deeper. 'Odd. Usually that's my cower-under-my-gaze-you-lowly-form-you look.' Draco frowned.

"When I called Parkinson she stayed staring at you but your head turned quicker than my brother's at the mention of food. ." and she again began filling the sky with her rich laughter once more.

Draco's face then (no, he didn't blush!) became torn in two. For future reference do not attempt to scowl and smile at the same time. It doesn't quite work, as Draco soon found at Ginny's now doubled over, hysterical laughing.

That quickly helped Draco's face make up its mind. Scowl it was! "What was that," he demanded, nodding his head slightly in Pansy's parting direction.

"Ooh, just answering a plea for help," she stated matter-of-factly.

"A plea? For help?" Draco's eyebrows were practically to his hairline.

"Mhmm."

"Well, I'm assuming you are not crazy and referring to that tree over there so that only leaves you with being completely insane and referring to. . . the bench."

The girl chuckled. 'Damn I'm sure getting an ab workout with all this laughing!' "Oh yes, the bench just can't stand your ugly arse. Be so kind as to move? But my oh my Malfoy, was that just a sense of humor I heard?"

Before even thinking Draco's lips began to form a smile, but half way through he thankfully caught himself as all her words began to sink in ('Hey now, my ass is not ugly!'), or maybe not thankfully. Ginny's smile surely went against nature as it grew even wider. Draco fought to keep from grimacing.

"You're welcome Malfoy," she cheerfully said over her shoulder as she began to walk past him.

Yes, it took Draco a few seconds to get his mind off her beautiful smile and on to the conversation that he had just let her have the last words in. But by then, Ginny was gone, and Draco had caught himself in the middle of thinking of her smile as beautiful.

* * *

'UGHH!'

She couldn't stop thinking of why! Why? What in the world had that all been about? And why couldn't she just forget about it? 'Bloody hell Gin it's been a week! Forget it!' But she couldn't. Because she'd. . . helped Malfoy. She'd laughed. But it wasn't a mean, bitter, ha-ha-I-just-made-you-look-stupid laugh. AND he smiled! Well, almost anyway. But she couldn't stop replaying the whole scene in her head and it was driving her nuts and-

"Hey, Ginny!"

Ginny mentally patted herself on her back as she realized someone was talking to her this time. Earlier Colin had apparently been trying to talk to her for 5 minutes. "Hey Harry," she replied lightly. "Why aren't you at dinner?"

"Oh, well I wasn't that hungry. And, well, I noticed you weren't there so I-"

"Just needed some alone time I guess," she interrupted. She couldn't exactly put her finger on it but he was acting odd lately. Like, well, like he liked her. And it was kinda of freaking Ginny out - not the reaction she'd thought she'd ever have, that's for sure.

"I know that feeling," Harry said softly, staring into Ginny's eyes. And if she weren't mistaken he was slowly getting closer to her and she was much too fast coming up to the wall behind her. "You know Ginny you don't have to play any of these-"

"Play any what?" She quickly interrupted again, her voice a few pitches higher than normal. Didn't he know what 'alone time' meant! She was definitely up against that wall now, and he was definitely in her bubble of personal space, and she was definitely not comfortable. Ah, and there were his hands reaching for her waist.

"Games," he said simply, smiling reassuringly. However, Ginny was only suddenly reassured of how much she would rather be with anyone else at that moment. Heck even Malfoy would be better, much be-

"Potter, what do you think you're doing?" came a low drawl, implying unconcern though on closer listening the speaker would have seemed to be anything but unconcerned.

Ginny immediately relaxed, unnoticed by the boy with his arms around her, but it seemed blatantly obvious to the one not even touching her. The latter boy smirked as he became aware of this, and he smirked even harder as he looked at Ginny's face of relief and then at Harry's face of annoyance and pure hatred.

"Malfoy sod off," the raven haired boy bit out as he tightened his grip on Ginny's waist.

Ginny stifled a yelp as her eye's widened for just a second. She quickly reached for Harry's hands to remove them.

"And I listen to you when?" the blonde drawled out again in that same 'unconcerned' tone of his.

"Malfoy I mean it! You better-"

"And so do I. Just what do you think you're doing?"

Harry's face went bright red. Whether from embarrassment or rage was anyone's guess; it was rather hard to tell.

Draco looked to Ginny who was staring at him and their eyes locked. Draco could tell how uncomfortable she'd been, he had seen it in her eyes before he'd said anything and now he saw her eyes flooded with relief and mixed with. . . something he couldn't quite figure out.

"Come on Ginny, let's finish this somewhere else," Harry said angrily, grabbing her hand to lead her away.

Ginny's eyes quickly moved to look at Harry, bewildered. Instinctively she pulled her hand away from Harry's grasp.

"Ginny, come on-"

"Finish!" Ginny asked incredulously, finally finding her voice. "I don't want to finish anyth-"

"Ginny not here!"

"Potter can't you take a hint?"

Harry narrowed his eyes as he glared at Malfoy and was surprised to find not a smirk - the blonde's way of laughing - but a scowl. 'What is he sick?' "Come on Ginny, I'm hungry, let's-"

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Harry's hand as it yet again sought her out. "I'm not hungry, thanks. You go on ahead though, I'll tell Ron and Hermione where you are."

"Ginny, quit it already! I'm not about to leave you here and this is not the way-"

"The way to what Harry! I told you already Harry! I am NOT playing any stupid ridiculous games and I- AUGH! Keep your bloody hands to yourself already!" Ginny burst out, losing her self-control and not caring anymore if she humiliated him in front of his worst enemy.

Harry's eyes went wide as he looked into Ginny's fiery, exasperated ones, his hand frozen in the air between himself and Ginny. Draco quickly decided Harry looked much better helpless and devastated then smug and in control. Not that he'd ever been in control of course . . .

Ginny couldn't look at the boy she'd just blown up at anymore and turned her gaze to the floor. She could glare at the floor and not feel guilty, even though she knew she didn't have anything to feel guilty for. That much, anyway.

"I'll . . . I'll . . . Ginny, I'll talk to you later okay, Ginny?"

She nodded, her gaze still on the floor. There was a spider that seemed to be stuck in a crack. When she finally looked up Harry was gone and she immediately let her breath out she hadn't even known she'd been holding. That's when she remembered Draco. He was looking at her, but he wasn't smirking or scowling, cold or calculating. 'He looks rather handsome like tha-' She'd thought too soon.

"Call us even," he smirked. And then he was gone.

* * *

A/N: So who do ya think Ginny should be for the Halloween ball hmm? 


	6. bloody hell

Chapter 6 - Bloody Hell

"Uh, Ginny?" Colin questioned, waving his hand in front of the redhead's intense gaze. At the mashed potatoes.

She jumped, knocking over her pumpkin juice. "Oh! Wha?"

"Ginny what's-"

"Nothing's wrong" she interrupted quickly.

Colin raised his eyebrows at her. "Okay Ginny, after you tell me what the charms essay was over you can tell me what _is_ wrong."

She gave him a sheepish look but nonetheless continued. "But nothing's th-"

"You just spilled pumpkin juice all over yourself and have yet to do a single thing about it," Colin deadpanned.

The stubborn redhead looked down herself and into her lap. "I like the smell of pumpkin juice. It. . . it's relaxing. . to me."

Colin had come across Ginny's copious amounts of stubbornness many times before, so he let it go. Even though it made her look ridiculous.

* * *

Thump. Thump. Thump. "Ow." 

Draco couldn't quite figure himself out. Why had he intervened? Sure, he definitely got Potter one-up ('Hmm, no definitely two-up.') but. . . He'd essentially helped the Weaslette! And it hadn't been a side effect. That's why he'd done it. Instead of getting the headstrong girl _back_, he'd gone and helped her! He was also unnerved by just how much he'd wanted Potter _off_ her. It was disgusting. Yes, that was what it was! And he couldn't just walk away and let some other innocent student come across- 'UGH. Since when do I care about anyone but ME?' Yeah, so he doesn't 'owe' the damn girl anymore. But why does he have this strange and SCARY feeling that he would have reacted the same way regardless of that (falsely) comforting fact! He glanced a look at the redhead.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you stop hitting your head on the table and salvage what is left of that potion," came a stern whisper to his left.

Draco jumped very un-Malfoyishly and looked up into the cold black eyes of Snape. He swore he saw (cold) amusement in them. Then he looked into his cauldron and his face blanched.

He gazed miserably at his thick light blue potion in his cauldron. Not exactly the expected watery gray of what was supposed to be a Vanitioning Potion. The blonde scowled at himself for letting a stupid, ugly, little girl get to him like no one ever had and make him screw up where he'd never screwed up before. He glared in the stupid, ugly, little girl's direction and gulped (discreetly of course), but then continued on his silent rampage upon said stupid . . . girl.

He was however momentarily sidetracked as he noticed her glaring daggers at her robes and muttering to herself (somewhere along the lines of, 'Ugh, I am never going to be able to drink pumpkin juice again!' and 'Stupid pumpkins! Whoever the hell thought up pumpkin juice anyway!').

"Damn bag," Ginny hissed. That was the second time this week it had ripped at the seams on her, scattering all her books, parchments, quills, and ink bottles across the empty hallway. She quickly scanned the scene and sighed with relief at the sight of her ink bottles still in one piece. The last time she hadn't been so lucky.

Ginny pursed her lips and bent down on her hands and knees to gather all her belongings. When she was sure she'd filled her newly mended and very-soon-to-be-replaced bag with all her supplies, she plopped back on her butt, her legs sprawled out in front of her. Her eyes traveled along the floor in front of her; she spotted one last ink bottle. Her eyes narrowed as she harrumphed.

But then her eyes landed on a pair of neatly polished black shoes, partly covered by expensive-looking black slacks. Ginny gulped and looked up to meet the gray eyes of the owner of those shoes and slacks. 'Ooof course, who else would wind up finding me here?' She squeezed her eyes shut momentarily, readying herself for the inevitable. But then she recalled those gray eyes she had just stared into. They were amused of course, but it was different . . . it wasn't the amused look she'd expected, and had almost accidentally seen. They'd also conveyed something else. . confusement? 'What?' Her eyes snapped open.

"You might want to get a new bag Weaslette," came a teasing drawl.

'A teasing drawl? Huh?'

'Oh, bugger.'

Ginny saw a flicker of embarrassment cross his perfect face. But it was gone in just that, a flicker, as it was replaced with a sneer. But either she was getting used to Draco's sneers or he was getting lazy. . .

Suddenly there was the sound of an ink bottle rolling across the stone floor. Ginny was startled out of her gaze on those gray eyes and looked now wide-eyed at the ink bottle as it made its way to her right foot. 'Did he just . . ?'

She quickly looked up, only to see the last of his cloak billowing around the corner.

She didn't get up for a while.

* * *

Thump. Thump. Thump. 

"You know, apparently your tactic for knocking out whatever bad sense that's been torturing you lately isn't such a successful one."

"Zabini shove it."

"No, I really don't want to."

"Good thing I didn't ask for your opinion on the matter."

"My, my Draco. I thought I was the only one who could get under your skin."

"Excuse me?"

"Finally, I can take some days off! It's really draining being your only friend, did you know that?"

"Zabini what the hell are you on about?"

"Red hair, freckles . . "

Draco's face went pale. Er, well, what little color he'd actually had originally was now gone.

" . . . bad temper, too clever, some dame nice curv-"

Draco's interrupting growl left the dark haired boy chuckling.

"Just don't do anything too stupid okay?"

"Like listen to you?"

"Ouch. Touche."

* * *

"Colin, I think I'm just going to skip this time," Ginny said with a frustrated sigh. 

"Um, you can't remember? Dumbledore's made it mandatory so that the Slytherins will actually participate. Why we want them to show up in the first place I haven't quite figured out yet."

"Ugh," Ginny groaned as she finished flipping through another book in the library's new section devoted to fairy tales. She swore she'd been through a million castles and woods already, and she _still_ had yet to find something that she felt she could be for the Halloween dance.

"I still don't know what was so wrong with Cinderella. Or eve-"

Ginny cut him off, "She's blonde! And she falls in love with a guy she doesn't even know. Who by the way thinks each woman sports their own unique shoe size." She looked at Colin like it was so obvious.

"But she gets a Fairy Godmother! And she has all those mice friends and the pumpki-" he was cut off by Ginny's eyebrows rising to the point of practically falling off her face, though inwardly, she flinched at the mention of pumpkins.

But then she spotted something. "Colin, ever heard of Beauty and the. . Beast?" she asked as she pulled it out from under the bottom of a stack to see the whole title, causing said stack to teeter and then tumble. She yelped and skirted away, holding the book over her head.

"Er, yeah. The beginning of that scared the crap out of me when I was little."

This sent Ginny into giggles.

"What? It was dark and scary!" Colin huffed. This just sent Ginny into more giggles.

"Well, if you're too busy giggling, then I don't think you need any of my help anymore Miss-I'm-so-desperate-I-had-to-go-get-help-for-a-costume-idea-from-a-_boy_," Colin said, quickly ending the redhead's laughter. Now she gave him a dark look, which only made Colin grin.

"She falls in love with a beast!"

* * *

"Gin?" 

"I'm not alcohol."

"Hey Ginny, um . . Sorry about, er, Malfoy." Harry looked rather uncomfortable and Ginny was at a total loss.

"Huh? What'd he do this time?" she asked absentmindedly, trying to remember the last ingredient for a Vanishing potion so that she could finally be done with her potions essay and therefore all of her homework.

"Um, you know. . theotherdaywhenheinterruptedus?"

"Oh." So far, the redhead had managed to keep her mind off that particular little scene. That was how she'd wanted to keep it too.

"Er, Gin, why wouldn't you just come with me? Are you. . I mean. . you're not. ."

Ginny just blinked at him. 'Toad's eye! Aha!'

"You're not doing anything with the Ferret that doesn't include biting each other's heads off right?" the boy blurted out, his face blotchy.

Ginny continued blinking as her mind raced. 'Did Harry just imply what I think he did? Oh, God.' she thought to herself, her potions essay vanishing from her mind.

"Gin?"

"Harry, I am not alcohol," she replied dully, without thinking.

Harry paused a moment as he just stared at the blinking redhead. Then, "Bloody hell! RON! Ginny's running off with Malfoy!" Harry yelled out to the whole common room, his face pink, and his eyes wide with disbelief.

Ginny was reminded of a little kid tattle tailing to the teacher. And then his left cheek was suddenly red instead of just pink, in the lovely shape of a hand print. "Harry Potter!" Ginny yelled, her temper now flaring, ignoring her sudden audience. "How dare you!"

"Ginerva Weasley what the BLOODY HELL is Harry going on about! Because if for ONE SECOND YOU-"

"She's with Malfoy! She hit me! She's gone OFF WITH MALFOY AND-"

"I AM NOT! YOU DESERVED THA-"

"GINERVA HE'S THE ENEMY! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING RUNNING OFF WITH-"

"I AM NOT RUNNING OFF WITH MALFOY! HOW THE BLOODY HELL COULD YOU TWO EVEN THINK I WOULD!"

"Ron he came right when I was trying to, but she wouldn't come with me, she just-" Harry gasped out in a very broken explanation. But it was very clear to Ginny.

"BLOODY HELL, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT! MERLIN HARRY! CAN'T TAKE A REJECTION? SO YOU MAKE SHIT UP TO-"

"HARRY WOULDN'T MAKE ANYTHING UP GINERVA! DO NOT LIE TO ME GINERVA! BLOODY H-"

"Could we stop with the BLOODY HELL'S?" came an annoyed cry. All incredulous eyes whipped around to face a frowning Hermione.

Ginny surveyed the scene and took the opportunity to let out a scream of frustration, "AHHHHGG," as she turned on her heels and swept out of the Gryffindor common room.

* * *

Wasn't family supposed to stick together? Whatever happened to that? He'd totally ignored her, hadn't listened to a word she tried to say. 'Because Harry bloody Potter is always right and Harry BLOODY Potter must always get what he wants,' Ginny ranted to herself. 

She'd found out long ago that being angry was much easier than, say, bawling one's eyes out. Or being rational for that matter. But there was nothing rational in Harry accusing her of running off with Draco Malfoy. Was there? 'No,' she told herself firmly. So Ginny tired herself out by focusing all her energy on being furious with the Boy Who Lived and tried to ignore the feeling of her brother's betrayal. Her brother's betrayal that was recognized only by her.

"Well look what the Weasel dragged in," came a drawl, interrupting the redhead's tirade.

"Malfoy not now."

The blonde's brows rose at her dead, flat tone. Apparently the girl had indeed used up all her anger on a certain raven haired boy. "So if I came back tomorrow I'd be welcomed with open arms?"

That got him a fairly nasty glare. He resisted the urge to shudder. But something still wasn't right. She wasn't going crazy over him. Er, crazy _mad_ over him. She was just. . so dead. "What?" he countered innocently, subconsciously searching for that inner spark he didn't know he craved from the girl standing before him.

The clearly upset (but not because of him which for some bizarre reason bothered him immensely) redhead stared at him a moment, looking completely put out. But then a sparkle returned to her eyes as she snapped, "More like a wand to your throat." Sheesh, even when she was exhausted he still managed to rile her up. Not even Ron could do that. . .

Draco chuckled at this and let slip before he even knew he'd thought it, "That's much better Weaslette." At that he just froze. The deer in headlights look didn't quite work like his infamous smirk.

Ginny frowned slightly as she processed Draco's reaction, and then she smirked. "So the way to get to you is to make like you're gonna cry huh? Can't handle a crying girl? I woulda thought you'd be used to it, Merlin knows one look at you surely sends any girl to tears."

This was apparently not Draco's night. "Whoa, wait, you were about to cry? _You_?"

"Uhh. . ." Ginny was dumbstruck. 'What in Merlin's name is wrong with Malfoy tonight!' and then, "Bloody hell, I just admitted to crying! Or almost crying. . . To Malfoy!' Ginny didn't look all that bad in her own rendition of a deer in headlights. She just looked like she was six years old.

Finally Draco seemed to get a hold of himself. "Aren't you used to being rejected by that Boy Who Just Won't Die?" he retorted, smirk back in place. (Ooh yes, much better than the deer in headlights!) Except the stupid girl seemed to brighten up at his meant-to-brighten-_down_ remark.

After pushing what feelings the reference to a certain green-eyed boy and his all too faithful minion of her brother brought up to the back of her mind, Ginny suddenly felt more at ease. And with that ease went, "Gods, for a minute there I was worried, I mean when Harry's finally cracked and thinks I'm running off with you just because I don't want _him_ and my brother's off replacing me with Harry as a bloody family member, I don't need you being weird and un-Malfoyish and therefore failing to distract me fro-" Ginny stopped mid-word as she finally realized what and to whom she was blurting and blabbering about.

The two teens just stared at each other open mouthed. Er, well Ginny did. Malfoy's just don't stand with their mouths open. Just their eyes.

"You didn't happen to become suddenly deaf in the last minute by any chance did you?" Ginny mournfully asked, her face in a grimace.

The Slytherin swallowed and just shook his head. If he'd been watching this and not actually involved he would have chuckled at her words. Too bad he _was_ actually involved.

"Mm, so this has been a lovely chat and all, but I really, uh, need to, er, I should. . " 'For Merlin's sake Ginny STOP blabbering already!'

"G'night Malfoy," she said exasperatedly, turning on her heels a bit too fast as she _almost_ lost her balance. She suppressed the urge to run, settling for walking. Quickly.

* * *

A/N: Any advice will be gladly taken. 


	7. hell has frozen over

Chapter 7 – Hell Has Frozen Over

Tick. Tick. Tick.

"Mgmmh."

Tick. Tick. Ti-

"Damn clock!" the bleary eyed and annoyed redhead hissed. She rolled over to reach for the sleep interrupting object and in the process caught sight of the time. "10:42?! Aw, bloody hell! The stupid thing wakes me up _now_?!"

"It's a Saturday, Ginny."

The sleepy girl blinked and turned to face the voice. "Maybe I had somewhere to be," she countered stiffly.

"Well if you were planning a secret meeting with Malfoy, don't worry about it."

"Hermione! Don't tell me yo-"

"Ronald lost Gryffindor 100 points and landed the giant ferret in the Hospital Wing," the brown eyed girl interrupted exasperatedly.

"Ugh. I'm going back to bed, 'Mione," Ginny mumbled, falling back into her bed.

"Oh no you don't! You need to knock some sense into that brother of yours before he-"

"I could knock all day and all it would get me is muscles. I'm sure I'm not his sister anymore anyway. Go away Hermione."

"Ginny."

"Bye."

"You make it sound as if what Ron is so riled up about is true." Ginny's head shot up. "Ah, there you are. Just the mere reference to that git gets you going."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! You're the one dating him, Ms. Know-It-All!!"

"Gin, I was talking about Malfoy."

"Well I don't know what you're talking about," the redhead snapped angrily as she pushed herself out of her bed. She began searching for a pair of clean jeans and a top, her back to Hermione.

"Ooh, I see. Damn."

Ginny's head snapped around to look at the girl standing in the middle of the dormitory. "Hermione?! Did you just.."

"When the occasion calls for it, yes. And I think the occasion of you falling for Malfoy defin-"

"Falling for Malfoy?! Are you CRAZY?" She looked like a madwomen at this point, hair going in every which direction.

Hermione sighed, looking away from the girl in front of her. "If it makes you feel any better I have my suspicions that he's in the same boat."

Ginny's face went from exasperated to angry to utterly confused. "Hermione, I do truly believe you are the brightest student in this entire school, but.. I think you have finally done yourself in and gone crazy. You should have stayed away from my brother for just one more year honey, and you would have graduated!"

"Ginny, quit it," Hermione snapped back. "Just face it. I know you're a smart girl, so just be careful okay?"

"Face what?" the stubborn redhead quipped. "Ugh, screw it." she muttered under her breath, and with that she pushed past the crazy brown haired girl.

* * *

"Ginerva, we need to talk."

"Well, Ronald, I'm sorry. I don't feel much like talking. Congrats on having a voice today though. I thought for sure you would have lost it after all your screaming-like-a-banshee yesterday."

"Gi_nerva_.." the boy bit out through his teeth, his face getting red.

"Ro_nald_," came her mocking response.

"Ginny, this is why you can't go hanging around Malfoy! You've completely changed!"

This caused Ginny to actually turn and look at her brother, her eyebrows raised. "Shove it. I can do whatever the hell I want."

"Ginerva! No you can't! I am looking after you, I am telling you that Malfoy-"

"No, you are not. You just hate Draco Malfoy more than anything in this world. This has nothing whatsoever to do with me. I have not 'completely changed'; I've been changing since first year and you've just conveniently acknowledged it _now_."

Ron actually paused to look at his baby sister, her face hard as stone as she turned back to her book. She sounded completely serious. How could she seriously think he wouldn't ever notice his _baby sister_? Of course he noticed! She was becoming more and more like Fred and George everyday, but with a rougher edge that had suddenly become sharper. He unwillingly gave the credit for this sharper edge to Malfoy. He didn't want to believe it, believe everything Harry said, but why would Harry lie to him? "Ginny, what are you talking about?" he questioned, his voice no longer loud.

"Ronald, just go back to sleep," she answered sadly as she stood up and headed out of the common room, leaving her brother more confused then ever at her common reply to him.

"Any luck?"

Ron jumped in his seat. "Oi, Harry!"

"Sorry," the dark haired boy muttered sheepishly as he sat himself down across from his best friend.

Ron sighed. "Harry, maybe we're wrong."

"No, something is going on, Ron. I just know it."

Ron didn't say anything back immediately. He may be overly immature, but that didn't mean he couldn't have wheels turning in his head. "You like her a lot, don't you?" he finally asked.

Harry looked startled, and then he blushed. "I, well, I-I," he stammered as he ducked his head. "Yeah," he finally admitted. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No. But she does, mate. She does."

* * *

She didn't mean to wind up here. No, by all means this was the last place she wanted to find herself. But somehow her mindless wandering led her to the Hospital Wing. And even now that she'd realized where she was, she wasn't leaving. 'At least I've managed to stay out here,' she thought, mentally rolling her eyes at herself. She closed her eyes and tried to will herself to just leave.

"Meditating in the middle of the hallway? Good Lord, Weasley. And what the bloody hell are you wearing?"

She jumped, blushed as she thought of her over-sized pajama pants and her too small t-shirt, and then groaned. 'I'm going to kill Hermione for making me run out before I could change into decent clothes,' she thought to herself. She still didn't want to open her eyes because she already knew what she'd see. Ah, yes, there it was. Malfoy and his infamous smirk. She just stared at him, for once not being able to come up with a retort. She did notice that his face was as handsome as ever. Madame Promfrey must have fixed him up already.

"Come to apologize for that miserable excuse of a brother?" he smirked harder at her, his arms folded across his chest, thinking he had finally pulled one up on her.

'Well, at least he hasn't brought up our last encounter,' Ginny thought, trying to be optimistic. "He apparently didn't hit you hard enough if you're already out of there. God, doesn't he know how thick of a skull you have? I-"

"Well gee, thanks for asking, I'm feeling great," he interrupted her, his smirk faltering. Ginny frowned at him. But then, "Can't you buy a leash for that animal or something?" he tried again, smirk securely back in place.

Looking back on this moment, she can't quite figure out why that comment made her snap since for one, she'd gotten much worse and two, she almost agreed with it. But for whatever reason, that's how she wound up inches away from Draco Malfoy with her finger pressed into his chest and her eyes burning with pent up anger.

"Just because he knows how to fight and you don't!" she hissed into his face, her burning eyes narrowed.

"Just because he can't keep straight who's actually part of his family?" he retorted without thinking.

"D-Don't- you don't know what- he pummeled you for _ME_!" she started yelling. She tried to push him away but he swiftly grabbed her hands.

"Really? Oh, I thought it was for his good buddy Har-"

"STOP! Stop it," she cried, now only half heartedly trying to pull her hands from his strong grip.

He looked down at her, breathing hard. She had her eyes closed tightly and was taking big, deep breaths. For a second he was suddenly scared that she would start crying. What was wrong with him?! The next thing he knew he'd let go of her hands and had wrapped his arms around her, bringing her in against his chest. And then he almost had another heart attack when he felt arms wrap around him as she returned the embrace. She'd buried her head in his chest and he was at a loss for thinking. So he just rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes, amazed at how good it felt to be holding her.

"You know, you're right," came a small voice minutes later, startling Draco out of his drinking-in-all-things-Ginny state. 'Since when was this girl's voice ever _small_?'

"I am always right," he drawled out, simultaneously tightening his hold on her.

This actually conjured a laugh from Ginny. "I highly doubt that," she teased.

Draco pulled her away to look at her, his right eyebrow raised, "Pfft, I am Draco Malfoy. That alone proves ridiculous your doubt," he mockingly dictated.

That just caused more giggling. "And what, pray tell, are you giggling at, little girl?" he questioned in the same phony voice, completely thrilled that he somehow had gotten her from seemingly near tears to giggles.

When all she did was laugh harder, an evil idea struck him. At first he dismissed it, thinking his best bet was to walk right back to Madam Pomfrey. But as her laughter began to die down, he wanted to hear more of it. 'Gods, what is this girl doing to me?'

"Well, I can't let you just stand there laughing at nothing. People might think you've gone nutters," he smirked, as he proceeded to tickle her to death.

She shrieked out loud and tried to pull away, now laughing uncontrollably. "Stop, oh, please, Malfoy!" she shrieked in between.

"Not until you say it!" he grinned.

Her stomache dropped to the floor, she was sure of it. When she regained thought processes other than 'Oh my God he grinned at me,' she was able to ask, as innocently as one can while laughing uncontrollably, "Say what?"

"Oh you're a stubborn one, aren't you? I should have known," he laughed. He redoubled his efforts, producing more beautiful laughter from the redhead in his arms.

"Okay, okay!" she cried, alotting herself a moment of peace to speak normally. She looked up at him, smiling, his hands still holding her. "You're always right," she said as she pulled out of his reach. And then she smirked adding, "Oh, well, not _always_."

"Cheater!" he gasped, though no matter how good he was at controlling his expressions, for some reason he couldn't hide his smile.

She just stuck her tongue out at him. It was completely childish, but instead of scoffing he just gave up his attempt at hiding his smile and laughed out loud. She grinned back at him. "Guess you were at least right about me being stubborn," she said, her eyes dancing.

"I wouldn't have you any other way," he smirked.

Her face showed her surprise for a second, and Draco was worried he'd ruined it, but then he fancied her cheeks flushed, and then her smile was sly. "You'd _have_ me, huh?" she said in this coy voice that surprised and excited him all in one.

He gracefully took a step closer, closing the space that had opened when she'd backed away. "I knew you were never innocent," he whispered in her ear, his voice husky. He felt her shiver and smirked.

But then he held back a gasp as she snaked her arms around him and moved her fingers across his lower back, pulling him slightly closer so that their torsos were lightly pressed together. "Whoever said I was innocent?" she whispered back, wondering where on earth reality had gone. 'Good Lord, hell must be freezing over. How else is it that I am wanting to snog Draco Malfoy senseless?'

He chuckled, low in his throat, and Ginny could feel the rumbling through his chest. He turned to look into her eyes, only to see exactly what he found himself feeling. He was only centimeters from her face now, and as he brought his arms around her, into her crimson curls, on the small of her back, cupping her cheek, the gap between them was no more.

It wasn't an amazing kiss. No, no, of course not! Expecting all that sparks flying rubbish? Pfft. It was just a first kiss, sheesh. That turned into a second. And a third. Oi.. no, it was an damn good snog, that's what it was.

When things had slowed down a bit, Draco pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, breathing her in as he caught his breath.

"What're we doing?" she asked, her voice breathless and barely above a whisper. He almost wondered if that was meant to be said aloud. Either way, he wasn't sure he really had an answer.

"We couldn't have The-Boy-Who-Won't-Die a big fat liar could we?" he said, and Ginny could feel the smirk on his lips. The lips she just spent who knows how long kissing.. The lips she desperately wanted to kiss again and again.. 'Oh, Merlin. Why couldn't I just stick with Harry?'

"Because, darling, he's nothing compared to me." Ginny gasped as she realized what she had thought she'd merely been thinking to herself had really passed through her lips. She could feel her face blushing furiously and tried to duck her head out of his sight. "Ah, I don't think so Miss Weasley, no need to be embarrassed for realizing the truth!" he chuckled, as he caught her chin with his thumb and forefinger.

"Conceited prick," she muttered, her eyes still downcast. Truthfully though her head was spinning, from his kisses and from being this close to him and his scent.. 'Oh Gods.'

"But a very good looking conceited prick don't you think?" he said, raising his arms away from her to strike some sort of 'good looking' pose. She finally turned her gaze to him and lifted an eyebrow, her hands going to her hips, and started to speak when he quickly interrupted, "No nevermind, you don't have to answer that. Rhetorical isn't too big of a word for you is it?" he quibbed before he rendered her incapable of speaking.. aka snogging her senseless. Which she didn't mind, no not one bit.

If the brunnette watching from around the corner hadn't already suspected the couple before her, she very well might have fainted right there on the spot from shock. As it was she was unable to stifle her whispered, "Oh bloody hell, Gin!" before she fled the scene to make sure she knew exactly where that damn boyfriend of hers and his best friend were. Much later it would occur to her just how much she'd lost control of her mouth due to that redheaded girl. Hell really must be freezing over..

* * *

A/N: Reviewwww!


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